The present invention relates to a sanitary cover for use on telephones and the like and more particularly to such a cover which is adapted for replaceable engagement upon a sound transmitting portion of a telephone for preventing user contact therewith.
The invention recognizes that telephone users commonly use telephones which are generally accessible to the public at large or at least to a substantial portion thereof. For example, many telephone conversations are carried on from telephone booths, hotel rooms, reception areas or offices where the telephone user has no way of knowing the indentity of previous users of the telephone equipment.
Accordingly, the telephone user may necessarily come into undesirably close contact with portions of the telephone equipment which are either non-hygienic or may carry the risk of transferring harmful bacteria or the like to the user. In particular, the user tends to come into close contact with both the mouthpiece and earpiece of the telephone. If a prior user of the telephone were a carrier of bacteria associated with a cold, flu or disease, the user might unnecessarily be exposed to contact with the undesirable bacteria.
The invention further recognizes that it is often difficult to adequately clean the telephone equipment in order to insure against transmission of any such bacteria. Accordingly, there has been found to remain a need for a cover which can be used in connection with telephones available to the public or a substantial portion of the public in order to prevent the user from contacting undesirable bacteria or the like.